by Patricia Fry
Many eager writers develop their first few articles based mainly on what they want to say. They have a story to tell, a point to make or a gripe to air, and they do so with little regard for the reader.
It's wonderful to be dedicated to your topic, but it's also important to connect with your audience. If your article or story isn't presented in an organized manner, readers will not receive your message.
The logical order of an article involves a beginning, a middle, and an end.
Make smooth transitions. A transition is a bridge from one thought or idea to another. For example, "Not only does regular exercise ward off the common cold, it has been proven to keep more serious ailments at bay." After substantiating this statement with statistics, anecdotes and expert quotes, you might write, "The exercise habit is also beneficial to your sense of well-being. How? It can ensure a more restful night's sleep, increase your energy level and even put you in a better mood."
Stay in the same tense and person. An article usually represents the present and is often written in the second person. In this case, you will use statements such as, "Exercise is good for you." Anecdotes and examples may take you temporarily into another tense and person, and this is okay. Don't, however, shift from you to they to we in an article without reason.
Add variety. Create a more interesting article by using a mixture of narrative, anecdotes, quotes and statistics. A few years ago, someone sent me an article to critique. The writer chose a first person essay style for a piece on raising chinchillas. A few examples, anecdotes and expert quotes changed this from a dry narrative to a more lively article.
There's no great mystery to writing a good article. It just takes planning, logic, organization and creativity.
